Kevin Garnett scored a season-high 28 points and hauled in 11 rebounds on Wednesday as Boston notched a 115-103 victory over Phoenix.
It was the first meeting between the teams since Boston’s 88-71 loss in Phoenix on Jan. 28, after which Suns coach Alvin Gentry said he had “lost a little respect” for Garnett — who poked Channing Frye in the groin during that clash.
“I play the game really hard. I play with my heart,” Garnett said. “I never go around making excuses about that, so who cares about what they’re talking about?”
Photo: Reuters
Paul Pierce added 16 points with 13 rebounds for Boston and Rajon Rondo scored 16.
Boston beat the Suns for the first time in their last four meetings, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers said “all our guys” were especially motivated.
“That’s what the explosion early was about,” added Rivers, whos team jumped to a 13-point lead and lead by as many as 29.
“I thought their bench, their coaches were talking, which I don’t think you should ever [do] if you have a suit and tie on and actually can’t play,” Rivers said. “I don’t think you should be doing a lot of talking to the players on the floor.”
Despite the tension in the game, there was little suspense on the court.
“It was an intense game, but it wasn’t,” Rondo said. “We had it under control the whole game.”
SPURS 109, CAVALIERS 99
In Cleveland, Ohio, George Hill equaled a season high with 22 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers to become the first NBA team to reach 50 wins.
Tim Duncan scored 16 points and DeJuan Blair had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who bounced back from a 109-93 loss to Memphis on Tuesday. San Antonio, playing its second game since losing point guard Tony Parker to a calf injury, also got 14 points from Gary Neal and 13 each from All-Star Manu Ginobili and Matt Bonner.
TIMBERWOLVES 116, PISTONS 105
In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Kevin Love had 20 points and 20 rebounds, and Anthony Randolph was among three reserves in double figures scoring for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lazar Hayward scored a career-high 16 points and Anthony Tolliver added 13 for Minnesota, which has won three of its last five road games after a 2-23 start away from home.
Love’s double-double was his 48th in a row, the longest streak since Moses Malone’s 51 straight games in 1978 to 1979.
HAWKS 83, BULLS 80
In Atlanta, Georgia, Al Horford matched his career high with 31 points, including a jam with 29 seconds remaining to give the Atlanta Hawks its first lead of the game.
Horford had 16 rebounds and two steals, including one after his go-ahead basket that set up a jam by Joe Johnson for the final margin.
Luol Deng had 15 points, Joakim Noah had 13 points and 12 rebounds and Derrick Rose had 12 points and 12 assists for Chicago.
WARRIORS 106, WIZARDS 102
In Washington, Stephen Curry scored 29 points as the Golden State Warriors snapped a four-game losing streak and improved to 1-2 on their season-high seven-game road trip.
Monta Ellis scored 21 points and David Lee added nine points and 16 rebounds for the Warriors, who outrebounded Washington 54-40.
KNICKS 107, HORNETS 88
In New York, Amare Stoudemire scored 24 points and Carmelo Anthony added 22 as the New York Knicks rolled to their sixth straight win over New Orleans.
Toney Douglas also scored 24 points in place of an injured Chauncey Billups, outplaying slumping Hornets All-Star Chris Paul in the point guard matchup. Shawne Williams finished with 16 points off the bench, 11 in the third quarter when the Knicks broke open the game.
In other games it was:
‧ Thunder 113, Pacers 89
‧ Clippers 106, Rockets 103
‧ Nuggets 120, Bobcats 80
‧ Trail Blazers 107, Kings 102
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